An Earl for her Hopeless Heart: A True Clean & Sweet Historical Regency Romance Novel

by Finch, Fanny

  Leander glanced at Lady Eugenia, who gave him such a slight shake of her head, he was not sure he had actually seen it.

  He noticed the slight widening of her eyes at the same time.

  He got the distinct impression the Countess of Nottingham was not aware of their scheme to pair himself with Hestia. He wondered what it was Lady Eugenia had said to Hestia’s mother.

  He did not have to wonder long. True to form, Lady Eugenia launched into an overexaggerated explanation to catch her friends up.

  “I do not wish to embarrass you, Lord Price,” she said, looking directly in Leander’s eyes. “I was telling the Countess of Nottingham how the three of us have been companions at two different events now and that you are quite a fine gentleman.”

  “Thank you for the compliment, Lady Eugenia,” Leander gave her a smile. “I do enjoy hearing flattering accounts about myself.”

  “I know of no one that does not,” Lady Eugenia replied.

  Leander looked at the Countess of Nottingham, assessing her as he spoke. She seemed to have that same quiet strength he saw in Hestia. He knew where she had gotten her tenacity and smarts.

  Leander realized he knew very little about the Earl and Countess of Nottingham. He had an account of their business failures but knew nothing about their internal characters. It was something he could not get by asking questions of people who knew them.

  He was anxious to understand everything he could about Hestia. And what better way to find out about someone than to know how they were raised by their parents.

  Despite his spending and gambling habits, the Earl of Nottingham had taught at least one of his daughters how to be strong and independent. How to stand on her own two feet when necessary.

  Her ability to do it had come from her mother. The woman was a half a foot shorter than Leander and the lines around her lips and her eyes gave away her age. If not for them, Leander would have guessed her to be much younger than she was.

  She held herself with a sense of elegance that he only saw in the most refined of old money society. He suspected her roots ran deep in society and that she was used to the kind of wealth she’d been raised with.

  He wondered if she was happy or if it was a struggle being without when she’d spent most of her life never wanting anything.

  He thought he could see some sadness in her eyes but dismissed it as being associated with the tired look she also bore.

  “Your daughter is a delight to dance with, Lady Stalwood.”

  “I am glad to hear that, Lord Price,” the Countess of Nottingham replied, giving Hestia a pleased look.

  Leander thought it must be a look Hestia had not seen often because her reaction was quite odd. She blinked several times, gazing at her mother with surprised confusion.

  “It was not difficult.” Hestia visibly relaxed and turned her smile to Leander. “Lord Price is an excellent partner.”

  Leander took a step back and bowed to the ladies. “While I am quite flattered by this talk, I will take my leave of you ladies and I will return for our dance after this one, Lady Eugenia.”

  “Yes, Lord Price, I look forward to it,” Lady Eugenia replied. She was moving her gaze between Hestia and Leander, questions in her eyes.

  “Lord Price.”

  Leander turned to see the Viscount and Viscountess of Culross coming toward him. It was the Viscount of Culross who had called out to him. He bowed to each of them.

  “Lord Callow, Lady Callow,” he said.

  “How are you enjoying the party so far?”

  “I thoroughly enjoyed the first dance. I am looking forward to the dinner you are offering. I can smell the delicious scent of roast in the air.”

  “Yes, it is roast, as a matter of fact,” the Viscountess of Culross said, nodding. “With vegetables and a variety of breads and fruits for dessert.”

  “Still several dances to go before eating, Lord Price,” the Viscount of Culross said in a hearty voice. He lifted his shoulders, making his round frame slim down slightly but only for a moment. “I do hope you have signed on to dance with my Eugenia.”

  “Oh, most certainly, Lord Callow. She has accepted my name for the third dance.”

  “She is well trained and quite graceful. I am sure you will be pleased.”

  “Oh, Father,” Lady Eugenia said with a smile. “You flatter me.”

  “As a matter of fact, I was just about to take my leave to find out what other ladies would like to dance this evening,” Leander said, not meaning a word of it. He did not want to find anyone else to dance with. He wanted to dance with Hestia for the rest of the night and, if he had his way, for the rest of his life.

  She would be the only one in his heart. He would never stray from her. She had taken his heart and she did not even know it yet.

  He would make sure she did know it.

  “I will see you later at dinner time then, Lord Price.” The Viscount of Culross bowed to him and he returned it. He bowed to the Viscountess of Culross, who curtsied to him. The couple moved along, nodding at their daughter as they went.

  “You have done a fine job with the decorations on the lawn, Lady Eugenia,” the Countess of Nottingham said.

  “I do not have anyone signed on for my second dance,” Lady Eugenia said. She looked at Hestia with excited eyes. “Would any of you care to take a walk through the garden and see what I have added to it?”

  Hestia’s grin was instant. She glanced up at Leander, who looked back at her with the same pleased look.

  “I think that sounds like a lovely idea, Lady Eugenia,” Leander said bluntly. “Lady Hestia?”

  Hestia nodded energetically. “Yes. Let’s do that.”

  Lady Eugenia made sure to take hold of the Countess of Nottingham’s arm and turn her toward the door. Hestia and Leander followed behind, walking side by side once again.

  Leander was immensely pleased that Lady Eugenia had suggested the walk through her new garden. He had not seen it before she made additions but he was sure it would look beautiful. They stepped out onto the lawn and were immediately hit with a cool breeze that lifted the women’s hair off their shoulders in waves.

  They all instinctively lifted their chins to the breeze and when it settled down, they lowered their heads.

  “That breeze was chilly,” Lady Eugenia said, looking at Hestia’s mother. “But it is a warm night, is it not? The cool air makes it tolerable.”

  “I agree.” The Countess of Nottingham nodded her head.

  Leander wandered slowly behind Lady Eugenia and the Countess of Nottingham, feeling a pleasant throb in his chest when Hestia purposefully walked just as slowly, putting a few feet of distance between them and the two ladies they were following.

  Lady Eugenia spent nearly the entire time forcing the Countess of Nottingham to look at all the new flowers, analyze the old ones and discuss whether or not the beauty could be enhanced even more.

  That gave Hestia and Leander time to quietly discuss themselves, telling each other short anecdotes from their childhoods. Leander asked Hestia if there was anything she was afraid of when she was a child.

  “I was a brave child, so I was told,” Hestia said in a quiet voice. “But there was something I was afraid of and I hesitate to even tell you about it.”

  Leander pressed his lips together in a soft grin. “You must tell me. You have mentioned it and now you cannot leave me wondering.”

  “I do not know if I want to. I wonder if you will change your perception of me.”

  Leander chuckled. “That is not likely to happen, Lady Hestia.”

  “Well…” Hestia rolled her eyes. “There was a time when I was afraid of my shadow. I was afraid of any shadow. I refused to walk over one.”

  Leander laughed respectfully. “That is an odd one,” he said.

  Hestia giggled. “It proved to be quite a nightmare for my parents. They did not enjoy carrying me over every shadow I came upon.”

  They both laughed softly.

  Chapte
r 24

  The library was so quiet, Hestia felt like her thoughts would echo out for everyone to hear.

  It was only herself and Lady Eugenia in the room anyway.

  The Viscountess of Culross had taken leave to rest in her room. Hestia had a book open in front of her and was attempting to absorb herself in the story.

  Her attempts were unsuccessful for longer than a few paragraphs at a time. She would end up reading the same paragraphs over and over because halfway through, her mind would wander to thoughts of Leander.

  She found herself humming the song that was playing while she danced with Leander, remembering his touch and the look in his eyes as he moved around her. Her heart sped up every time she saw his eyes looking at her in her memory.

  She sighed, content with herself and completely at peace. Before he had left the party the night before, he had mentioned that he would be pleased to call on her if she wished. She had happily agreed.

  She sighed a second time and her attention was drawn to Lady Eugenia when her friend giggled. The young woman was gazing at her with a look of delight.

  Hestia raised her eyebrows. “You are looking at me very strangely, Eugenia. What is the odd look on your face?”

  “I can see how happy you are this morning, Hestia. You are thinking about Lord Price, are you not? Do not fib. I can see it in those hazel eyes of yours.”

  Hestia blushed fiercely. “My goodness, Eugenia, how you are embarrassing me. Do stop.”

  Lady Eugenia laughed. “I will not. I believe it is the most heartwarming thing I have seen in some time. Our plan worked out perfectly, did it not?”

  “It seemed to, yes,” Hestia replied, trying to make her blushing cheeks cool off again. If Lady Eugenia knew just how right she was, she might have been blushing as well.

  “The decorations were beautiful. I am glad your parents agreed to your wishes. And your garden was very well received. You are in good competition with Lord Faulkner. I am happy for you. Your first party was a success.”

  Lady Eugenia raised her eyebrows. “Those are the things you remember about the party? Surely not. I know who you are thinking of.”

  Hestia giggled, covering her mouth with one hand.

  “I know he is going to come calling on you at his first opportunity. It has been less than a whole day. He will show his face soon enough.”

  “I wonder, though, Eugenia, whether his parents will object because of my current station.”

  “No matter what you are doing right now, you were born a lady, the daughter of an earl, and you will be treated that way once more. This is only a temporary station for you. Lord Price seems to me the kind of man who is willing to look past what is now and into the future of what could be.”

  “That is very poetic of you,” Hestia said with a smile.

  Lady Eugenia smiled back. “Thank you.”

  “I did have such a lovely time at the party. I am so grateful to you for bringing it together.”

  “I am glad, too. When you stepped off the dance floor with Lord Price, why, you were practically glowing. It truly made my heart sing to see you so happy.”

  Hestia raised her eyebrows. “I looked like I was glowing?”

  “You were radiant. Your smile was… so genuine. Mind you, Lord Price looked much the same. I would not be surprised if we hear from him today. He knows you are here. I expect he will come calling any time now.”

  Hestia’s first thought was to wonder if she was presentable to be seen by Lord Price. She reached up and smoothed down her wavy hair, hoping it did not look dry or unkempt. She noticed when Lady Eugenia’s teasing grin was back.

  “You look lovely, Hestia. Do not trouble yourself.”

  Hestia had to laugh at herself. “I suppose I am quite taken with Lord Price. The more I think about him, the stronger the feeling gets that… well, I miss him. I hardly know him but I find that I miss him more than anything else. It is an odd feeling… to miss someone you barely know.”

  Lady Eugenia listened with a peaceful, happy look on her face. “I cannot imagine,” she said in a breathless voice. “I do hope to be as in love with my future husband as you are with Lord Price. Those must be such pleasant feelings.”

  Hestia had not thought about her feelings in those terms before. She became aware of the peace she felt, the warmth in her soul and her heart. It was unmistakable. She was in love with Lord Price.

  “I believe you are right, Eugenia.”

  “Will you tell him when he comes calling?”

  “I suppose it depends on his behavior and what he is seeking.”

  “He is seeking a wife, Hestia. You know this.”

  “I need to know what kind of wife he is looking for. I am not the kind that will shrink into the background. I have plans for my future that may or may not include a husband. If necessary, I will make my own way.”

  Lady Eugenia lowered her book and closed it on one finger. She leaned forward a little in her chair. “Hestia, we have not wasted our time and Lord Price’s emotions for you to take a step back. It was our intention to find you a husband, as well as me. Now, we can both have our way.”

  Hestia tilted her head to the side, setting her book open on the table next to her. She had not read the last two pages, though she had turned them as if she understood what she read.

  “What do you mean, both have our way? Have you set your eye on someone? Tell me who it is. I must know.”

  “I have. And I have not let you know or see a thing because I did not want to distract you from your own endeavors.”

  Hestia was grateful. If she had noticed Lady Eugenia with someone, she would have been filled with guilt for concentrating more on her own future than the lady she was companion to.

  “You must tell me who you are thinking of, Eugenia,” Hestia used a demanding voice.

  Lady Eugenia’s smile was filled with warmth. “It is the Honorable David Wake , the baron’s second son. Baron Wake.”

  Hestia could not help smiling from ear to ear. She remembered meeting David. He had a nice smile, dark brown eyes and a curly mop of brown hair on his head. She remembered thinking he had a very friendly face and his voice was gentle and soft.

  She could see the soft-spoken man being a perfect contrast to the outspoken Lady Eugenia.

  “That is such a wonderful thing to hear, Eugenia. I am so glad you finally told me. Is he aware of your interest?”

  Lady Eugenia nodded. “I believe he is. I have expectations that he will come calling. Perhaps at the same time as Lord Price. Would that not be something?” She laughed, a tinkling sound that made Hestia smile.

  “That would be something, yes.”

  “I have been watching you all morning, you know,” Lady Eugenia’s voice was light and giggly. “You look different. You are carrying yourself with much more ease than you were before.”

  “You have noticed a difference in such a short time?”

  “Of course. I have seen you every morning for more than a year now. I know how… guarded you were before. I saw you change the moment you laid eyes on Lord Price. I am excited for you, Hestia, almost as much as I am excited for myself! I will soon not need a companion and will be able to say friend instead.”

  She laughed again, making Hestia grin wide.

  Suddenly, Lady Eugenia was on her feet. She lifted herself up on her tip toes and did a small spin on the carpet. “My body feels so stiff, Hestia. I have been sitting in that chair too long. Let us do something else. Perhaps you would like to take a walk?”

  Hestia stood up, realizing she, too, had been sitting for a little too long. “It looks as though it might rain. How about a promenade around the parlor? We can stretch our legs and you can tell me stories about your family’s history.”

  Lady Eugenia closed the distance between the two young women, sliding her small hand around Hestia’s arm. “If that is what I have done more than once before, Hestia, I do apologize.”

  “No need to apologize. I like the stories you tell
me. If you were in my home, I would have some things to tell you too. We still have many of the artifacts my grandfathers gathered over the years. I remember the stories attached to them because my father was very proud of them. Even those things that belonged to my mother’s side of the family. He regraded them as treasures.”

  She felt a sense of sadness cover her joy when she thought about how her parents had been forced to sell some of those treasures, those priceless artifacts that had to have a price put on them.

  She allowed Lady Eugenia to lead her around the room, pointing at small statues and telling Hestia a story she had heard at least once before if not twice. She was entertaining as a story teller, her eyes lighting up when she spoke, her hands gesturing wildly when appropriate.

  Hestia found her stories to be twice as entertaining each time Lady Eugenia would tell them. They were halfway around the room when the door opened and a footman came in. He glanced in confusion at the chairs where they had been sitting.

  “What is it?” Lady Eugenia said in a loud voice. The magnitude of it made Hestia look at the small woman in surprise.

  The footman turned his head sharply, looking at them. He came to where they were with quick steps, stopping a few feet away from her.

  “I thought you might like to know, Lady Eugenia, there is a young man in the parlor speaking with your father, Lord Callow.”

  “Oh?”

  Lady Eugenia and Hestia shared a look. Which young man was the servant referring to?

  Hestia’s heart hammered in her chest. She could only hope it was Leander, coming to call on her.

  “Who is the gentleman caller?” Lady Eugenia asked.

  “It is Lord Price, son of the Earl of Coventry. He is speaking to your father regarding Lady Hestia.”

  The two young women looked at each other with excited eyes. Hestia noticed the satisfied look that crossed her friend’s face.

  “You have been a blessing to me, Eugenia,” Hestia said, turning to her friend and grabbing her hands. “I do know what I wish to do with the rest of my life now. And I am hoping I have found the one to fulfill my dreams with.”